Update 5:02 The Rays say LHP R.J. Swindle left the game with a right oblique strain, and there's no timetable yet on his return.

Update 5:00: The Rays win 12-7.

Update 4:10: Reid Brignac continued his strong spring start by hitting a two-run triple here in the eighth inning. And after Elliot Johnson knocked him in with a single, the Rays are now up 11-7 going into the bottom of the eighth.

Update 4:05: Swindle gave up two runs, but the Rays are still holding on to an 8-7 lead in the eighth.

Update 3:51: The Yankees are coming back, roughing up Rays RHP Mike Ekstrom in scoring four runs in the bottom of the seventh. The Rays are up 8-5, with R.J. Swindle coming in.

Update 3:40: RHP Jeremy Hellickson said he was "more excited than nervous" in his impressive debut, striking out two in 1 1/3 scoreless innings.

"I didn't even know when I was pitching until five minutes before I went out there," Hellickson said. "Everybody said 'Have fun and just go out and do what you've been doing.' That's what i did."

Rays 8, Yankees 2 (bottom seventh)

Update 3:24: LHP David Price said he felt good with his first outing - 1 2/3 innings, no runs, two hits - except for the fact it took him 42 pitches to do so.

"That's about eight pitches an out again," he said. "But I'm not going to harp on that right now. It's tough, some of those balls hitters are going to put in play in a couple weeks, so I’ll take it."

This is quite a different spring than a year ago for Price, who was under the spotlight last spring whether he'd make the team. But now, relatively under the radar, Price is comfortable.

"It's a lot easier," he said. "This (meeting with reporters) is what I had to do everyday last year. Now it's just days when I throw. I'm not going to complain about that."

Update 3:22 The Rays are up 7-1 going into the seventh.

INF Sean Rodriguez was pulled from the game, so there won't be any chance of a cycle.

Update 2:31: The Rays continue to pile on runs, chasing Chamberlain from the game. They scored three more in the fourth, which included an RBI single by Jason Bartlett, and a double by Sean Rodriguez, who's having a monster game.

Rodriguez, who already has a homer and triple, is now a single away from the cycle.

Rays 7, Yankees 0 (bottom fourth).

Update 2:13 RHP Jeremy Hellickson was pretty impressive in his first full inning, bouncing back from a leadoff triple (by Francisco Cervelli) to retire the side, striking out Derek Jeter and Mark Teixeira.

Rays 4, Yankees 0 (top fourth)

Update 2:05 The Rays tagged Yankees RHP Joba Chamberlain for three runs in the third, thanks to back-to-back RBI triples by Jason Bartlett and an RBI groundout by Evan Longoria.

Rodriguez is now halfway to the cycle (HR, 3B).

Rays 4-0, bottom third

Update 1:45 LHP David Price's day is over after 1 2/3 innings. He got two outs in the second, but after giving up a hit to Robinson Cano and walking Nick Swisher, he was pulled.

Price gave up two hits and a walk.

Relieving Price is RHP Jeremy Hellickson, who is making his first appearance in big league camp.

Update 1:26 The Yankees made him work, but LHP David Price finished up his first scoreless inning. Price gave up a leadoff single to Derek Jeter, but got the next three in order, including striking out Alex Rodriguez looking on a 3-2 pitch.

Rays 1, Yankees 0

Update 1:14 p.m. Talk about making a good impression. INF Sean Rodriguez just hit another home run - his third in as many spring games; each came in his first at-bat.

This homer was hit off Yankees RHP Phil Hughes, and just got over the wall in centerfield, over the outstretched glove of CF Curtis Granderson.

Rays 1, Yankees 0

***

We're live here from Steinbrenner Field, as the Rays will take on the Yankees.

There should be some interesting storylines pitching-wise, with LHP David Price starting for the Rays, and touted prospect RHP Jeremy Hellickson making his first appearance in a big league camp. The Yankees will have the two guys competing for their fifth starter spot, Phil Hughes and Joba Chamberlain.

Other things to watch include Sean Rodriguez getting a start in leftfield. Rodriguez grew up playing centerfield before switching to the infield, and manager Joe Maddon will give him a look at all three outfield spots this spring.

About the blog

The Tampa Bay Rays will head into the 2015 season with Evan Longoria, Chris Archer, Alex Cobb and plenty of new faces, including manager Kevin Cash. Can they upend the Orioles in the highly competitive AL East? Come here to follow Rays news at Tropicana Field and beyond.